Have you ever noticed how small the pockets are in clothes made for women and girls? It’s a bizarre statistic but it’s true: women’s pockets are made smaller than men’s.
Some studies show that they’re 48% shorter and 6.5% narrower than men’s pockets. Sure, some say it’s a conspiracy by the handbag industry. But while this may seem like a tiny design detail, it reflects something bigger: many young girls start out with less room – both in their pockets and in their possibilities to grow their financial independence.
This International Women’s Day, we’re drawing attention to pockets to spark a broader conversation about financial empowerment. Because when the pockets are smaller, the opportunities can be too.
"Financial empowerment should have no limits. Not in size, not in access, not in opportunity. The pockets may still be small, but the confidence we help build doesn’t have to be", said Pinar Abay, head of Retail Banking at ING.
Our new campaign invites everyone to question this gap to ensure it doesn’t define anyone’s future.